BIAS-T option

[ExquisiteMetropolis]

I've tested your container via this Home-Assistant add-on:
https://community.home-assistant.io/t/home-assistant-add-on-ads-b-multi-portal-feeder-flightradar24-and-flightaware/345563
Where I previously used a few docker containers: https://github.com/sdr-enthusiasts/docker-readsb-protobuf/pkgs/container/docker-readsb-protobuf (Sorry not yours...)

Following a power cycle, I noticed that since I switched to the HA-addon my reception range dropped.
Quick study showed my LNA filter wasn't powered anymore. Reason: BIAS-T wasn't switched on anymore.
The readsb container has a switch for that, the HA-addon (and your container?) doesn't as far as I have been able to determine.
Besides that, it provides for a lot of tuning options of the signal as well.

Reverting to the separate containers fixed the issue, BIAS-T was switched back on (needs to be done after each power cycle, it's not possible to fix this within the firmware/hardware of the RTL-SDR dongle), my reception range was back to normal.
Also via the HA-addin that uses your containers.

Reseating the RTLSDR dongle into the USB port resulted in the same. Less range, until the readsb container was restarted and switched on BIAS-T in the dongle.

Would it be possible to (at least) enable BIAS-T in yours? And preferably the other tuning options as well?

My goal is to stop using seperate docker containers and switch from HA supervised, to full HA OS.

[ExquisiteMetropolis]

@Thom-x any plans om this? Are you still maintaining this repo?

[Thom-x]

Sorry I don't have the hardware to test and implement this. Nevertheless, pull requests are welcome. 🙂

[ExquisiteMetropolis]

Hopefully someone can assist you with implementation. I have the hardware, not the skills. ;)

[rpavlyuk]

Hello! I've enabled Bias Tee for RTL SDR v3 by making modifications to the container's code. Sorry, couldn't do it as pull request since I've forked the repo once and couldn't do any more forks.

I've attached diff and the resulting files.

Change log:

• Rebased to RTL SDR Blog driver v1.3.6 as that's the only way to enable BiasTee control
• Updated dump1090 run script to enable BiasTee at start.

TODO:

• Add enable/disable configuration option for biast on container level

You can preview the enhancement in this container: https://hub.docker.com/repository/docker/rpavlyuk/fr24feed-piaware

bias-tee-feature.diff.txt
Dockerfile.txt
s6-rc.d_dump1090_run.txt

[ExquisiteMetropolis]

That's cool @rpavlyuk, a 1st step to get this option into the add-on for HA!
Thank you!

[rpavlyuk]

Unfortunately, I have no enough time to take a look into HA add-on :( But I promise to get to it as soon as I can.